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Crave Soda? Here Are 5 Bone-Healthy Alternatives

Summer is a time for picnics, fairs, and all kinds of outdoor gatherings. And there always seems to be a cooler at these events, filled with soft drinks. But these sugary beverages, and especially cola, harm your bones and take a heavy toll on your overall health.

Not surprisingly, many in the community have sent emails asking for bone-healthy substitutes for these sweet, carbonated drinks.

So today, I’ll share with you five flavor-filled, bone healthy replacements for sodas. It might take a little more work than just buying them off the store shelves, but it’s well worth it because they’re bone-healthy and delicious.

First, I’d like to clarify that…

The Bubbles Aren’t the Problem

The carbonation itself is not a health issue. There tends to be confusion in this area because research has found a connection between consuming carbonated drinks and losing bone density. But when non-cola carbonated drinks (such as sparkling water) were consumed, bone loss did not result. Clearly, it’s the other ingredients that cause bone loss.

What “Other Ingredients”?

As I mentioned earlier, soda in general and cola in particular are extremely corrosive liquid. The most damaging ingredients are:

This gives you a graphic picture of what phosphoric acid does to your bones.

Sugar and High-Fructose Corn Syrup are both bone-destroyers. Sugar is extremely acidifying and actually causes your body to excrete calcium, a phenomenon shown in a study from all the way back in 1979.1 (You’d think we’d have learned something about the detrimental effects of sugar by now!)

High-fructose corn syrup is full of fructose and glucose molecules that are “unbounded,” meaning they can cause tissue damage (much like free radicals). In addition, high-fructose corn syrup is made from genetically-modified corn, and it may even contain mercury.

Sodium Benzoate occurs naturally in some foods, but is isolated and used as a chemical preservative in industrial applications as well as in highly processed foods, cosmetics, dyes, and pharmaceuticals. It’s commonly used to prevent rust in automobile engines.

What’s even more frightening about this chemical is that, when combined with Vitamin C (a Foundation Supplement), sodium benzoate forms a substance called benzene, which is reported to cause various forms of cancer. Benzene, an acidifying chemical, is also implicated as a causal factor in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

Caramel Coloring may sound like an innocent substance, but it’s actually extracted by a chemical process involving ammonium-sulfites. In fact, 4-methylimidazole, a component of caramel coloring, has been shown to cause cancer in laboratory animals.2

Bone-Healthy Alternatives to Soda

If you’re following the Save Our Bones Program, and if you’re a regular reader, then you know that the best drink for your bones is distilled water with a few drops of lemon juice. But there’s something refreshing about a cold, fizzy drink, especially in hot weather. If you’re a regular soda drinker and want to transition to healthier beverages, these recipes will be very helpful.

Making Your Own Sodas: General Tips

The soda recipes I’ll give you today contain ingredients that promote bone health, like fruit juice and the bone-healthy sweetener stevia. Stevia and contains bone-friendly ingredients like magnesium and prebiotics.

Let’s get started with some general tips for making your own sodas.

Use seltzer water and make sure it is thoroughly chilled. As it warms, it loses carbonation.

Some of the herb-based flavor syrups do not hold up to long storage times, so make small batches and consume them within a few days.

Fruit-based flavor syrups can be stored for up to a week.

To make soda from these syrup recipes, stir 2 or 3 tablespoons into 8 ounces of chilled seltzer water. Of course, feel free to experiment.

Pour the seltzer water into the glass first, and then add the flavored syrup. This allows you to adjust the amount of syrup to taste.

Place all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Gently simmer for 30 minutes. Allow mixture to cool, and then strain. Use a funnel to pour this sweet syrup into a bottle or jar, cap tightly, and place in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Place water, lime juice, and stevia into a saucepan; simmer for 15 minutes. Allow to cool. Strain into a bottle or jar and refrigerate for up to a week. Add the strawberries directly to the glass before you pour in the seltzer water and make the soda.

Vivian, in connection with SLIMTEVIA, I am still not convinced it is O.K. In your answer article you mentioned all the additives except the fructos – fructos, if it is not natural e.g. eating it in fruit & is changed in a laboratory it causes cancer. Magnesium carbonate – isn’t the carbonate badly absorbed, & can leave pockets of chalk in the body. Please prove me otherwise.
Yours sincerely, Joy Markman

Hi Joy,
It’s true that fructose in large quantities is detrimental to your health – in fact, large quantities of high-fructose corn syrup in sodas is one good reason to avoid them! But the amount of fructose (fruit sugar) that is in Slimtevia is minuscule, and does not pose a health threat. It contains just enough fructose to balance the natural bitterness of stevia.

In addition, the amount of magnesium carbonate in Slimtevia is also minuscule, and does not pose a problem.

Your soda flavourings look great. I have to tell you that SodaStream will turn water into carbonated sparkling water in seconds. It’s a terrific product, am enjoying. Now, will try your flavourings with my home made sodas to enjoy healthy (maybe even distilled ) carbonated drinks.

I have had osteoporosis for several years and have even had forteo injections everyday for a year to help regrow my bones. I was scared to get the injections but also scared of fractures if I didn’t get them. I would love to have a healthy alternative to help my bone growth.

Checked the ingredients, fruit juices, sparkling water, citric acid and natural fruit flavors, that’s it, sounds like it passes. It may be a little high in sugar with 29g but I guess that’s to be expected with the fruit juice. Newman’s Own Diet Lemonade has lemon juice, lemon pulp and has stevia but some sugar too, does the sugar make it acidic or does it count as alkaline because all but one ingredient is alkaline?

What are your thoughts concerning PROLIA? My doctor has suggested the injections to me. I question this because of my immune system plus other reasons. I would appreciate any words of wisdom concerning this. Thank you Louise

Vivian, thank you for your email about soda drinks.
I have for a long time been using sparkling mineral water, with a small amount of apple juice concentrate, to make a delicious sparkling drink.
Is this ok ? You mention seltzer water – I am not familiar with this water. Where can one buy it, and is the natural mineral water (unflavoured, just bubbles added) ok to drink sometimes?

Thanks for these recipes! I can’t wait to try them. I stopped drinking soda pop almost four years ago and have spent a lot of time looking for an alternative that is healthy as well as tasty. My favorite it seltzer and fruit juice. I fill my glass ice, pour in the seltzer to about an inch from the top of the glass, and then fill the rest with 100% no sugar added fruit juice such as cranberry grape or pomegranate berry. I like your recipes and it will help me to take it to the next level by making my own syrup! I also like the idea of making my own seltzer with an appliance. A liter bottle of seltzer costs about a dollar and it can get a bit pricey if you drink it regularly. I think a seltzer maker would pay for itself quite quickly.

Seltzer is always better than club soda due to the sodium in club soda and none in seltzer. The best way to have seltzer is to buy a seltzer maker:http://www.sodastreamusa.com/

About slimtevia, I use very little sugar (only in my DIY popsicles), so I will stick with sugar. Didn’t read carefully the slimtevia site but can it really be healthier than sugar? Isn’t it a factory-made commodity?

Have you heard of, or seen any research on kombucha tea and its effects on bones? It is a delightful naturally fermented sweet tea made with any number of kinds of teas, white sugar, and a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast. It can be store bought or home brewed. It is said to have many benefits, and has a long history far back in the Russian past.

Hi Vivian, about the bone-building soda recipes, when you say place it in the refrigerator, (for example), for up to 2 weeks, does it mean that we should drink it only after this period?
Thank you, Luli

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This information is not intended to replace recommendations or advice from physicians or other healthcare providers. Rather, it is intended to help you make informed decisions about your health and to cooperate with your healthcare provider in a joint quest for optimal wellness. If you suspect you have a medical problem, we urge you to seek medical attention from a competent healthcare provider.